U.S. to Present $31m for Resettlement of Soviet-jewish Emigres in Israel

The United States will make $31 million available Friday in three-cornered ceremonies at the State Department for the resettlement of Soviet Jewish emigrants in Israel.

The funds, part of the $50 million appropriated by Congress for Soviet emigrants, will be turned over to the United Israel Appeal which will then transfer them to the Jewish Agency which the UIA has designated to use it for Soviet emigration to Israel. Frank Kellogg, special assistant to Secretary of State William P. Rogers for Refugee and Migration Affairs, Melvin Dubinsky of St. Louis, chairman of the UIA Board, and Gottlieb Hammer, UIA’s executive vice-chairman will sign the documents for the transfer from the U.S. to UIA.

The UIA leaders and Max M. Fisher of Detroit, chairman of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency, will sign the agreements under which the Agency will expend the funds in keeping with U.S. stipulations. Of the $31 million, $25 million will be for the care and maintenance of the immigrants and a half million dollars will be used to enlarge the transit area near Vienna where most of the Soviet Jewish emigrants arrive. The remainder is to be used for building a hospital wing, housing, and for Hebrew language training and education of the refugees in Israel.

In addition, the State Department is making available $2 million to the International Committee for European Migration (ICEM) to be used to help emigrants pay for their flights in El Al chartered planes from Vienna to Tel Aviv. Another half million dollars will be made available to other voluntary agencies, including HIAS and the International Rescue Committee, to help Soviet emigrants resettle in countries other than Israel. The legislation appropriating the funds is designed to aid all Soviet emigrants regardless of religious background and countries that receive them.

The three arrangements call for the expenditure of $33.5 million of the full appropriation by June 30, the last day of the current fiscal year. The remaining $16.5 million of the $50 million will be distributed after negotiations with Jewish and other voluntary organizations for expenditure in the new fiscal year beginning July 1. Virtually all of the $50 million is expected to be used for Jewish immigrants. The total appropriation is to be made available for the refugees over a period of about 15 months.